Eastern Mediterranean – Somewhere at Sea
1:23 A.M.
The small boat rocked against the dark waves. The moonlight barely touched the water, casting ghostly reflections across the rolling surface.
Nate sat across from Rahim, studying the historian's deeply lined face. The man looked like someone who had spent too much time knowing too much.
"You should have left that scroll buried," Rahim muttered, glancing at the satchel on Leah's lap. "Some things are lost for a reason."
"We didn't dig it up," Leah said. "Someone else did."
Rahim frowned. "Who?"
"A group calling themselves the Order of the Keys," Nate said. "They knew where it was. They nearly killed us to get it back."
Rahim sighed, rubbing his temples. "Then it's already begun."
Nate leaned in. "What's already begun?"
Rahim hesitated, as if saying the words would make them real. Finally, he looked up.
"You know how the Book of Revelation describes the Four Horsemen?" he asked.
"Yeah," Nate said. "Conquest, War, Famine, and Death."
Rahim nodded. "What if I told you… they aren't just prophecy? What if they're a plan?"
Leah frowned. "A plan?"
Rahim exhaled. "The Book of Revelation was written in highly symbolic language, meant to be understood by those with the knowledge to interpret it. What if the Four Horsemen weren't supernatural forces—but strategic events?"
Nate's mind raced. "You're saying someone is making the prophecy come true?"
"Not just anyone," Rahim said. "A group that has existed for centuries—hidden behind governments, financial systems, and global institutions. They've been waiting for the world to reach the right moment. And now…" He gestured toward the satchel.
"They've begun breaking the Seals."
A tense silence settled between them.
"What's next?" Leah asked quietly.
Rahim turned his gaze toward the dark horizon. "The Third Seal. The Black Horse. Famine."
---
London, England – Private Banking Office
8:45 A.M. (Local Time)
The office was pristine and cold, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline. Inside, a man sat behind a glass desk, his fingers tapping against the surface as he listened to the report.
"The supply chain disruption in Asia has been executed," the voice over the speakerphone reported. "Inflation will spike within days. Once the crop shortages take effect, the global food crisis will escalate naturally."
The man nodded. "And the markets?"
"We've already positioned our investments. When panic sets in, we'll move to phase two."
The man smiled, pleased. "And the media?"
"The narrative is in place. Climate disasters. Political instability. The cost of war. They'll believe what we tell them."
"Good."
The man leaned back, watching as the sun rose over London.
"The Black Horse is riding."
---
Somewhere in Cyprus – A Hidden Monastery
11:15 A.M.
The monastery stood against the rocky cliffs, isolated from the modern world. Inside, the air smelled of old parchment, wax, and incense.
Rahim led Nate and Leah through dimly lit corridors until they reached an ancient library. The shelves were packed with handwritten scrolls and crumbling manuscripts.
Rahim stopped in front of an old wooden table. "You need to see this."
He unrolled a centuries-old manuscript covered in Aramaic text and intricate diagrams.
"This is one of the earliest interpretations of Revelation," Rahim said. "And it contains something… unusual."
Nate and Leah leaned in. The text didn't describe the Four Horsemen as divine omens. It described them as stages of a deliberate plan.
Leah's fingers traced the symbol of the Black Horse. "Famine…"
Rahim nodded. "A man holding scales in his hands. A symbol of economic control. The collapse of global food supply chains, making everyday necessities so expensive that only the elite can survive."
Nate's blood ran cold. "They're engineering the apocalypse."
Leah's expression darkened. "So how do we stop them?"
Rahim met her gaze. "We find the Fourth Seal before they do."
The Seal of Death.
The room was silent. Then, from somewhere outside the monastery walls—
A gunshot.
Nate's pulse spiked.
"They found us."
Rahim grabbed the scroll. "We run."
And just like that, the hunt was on.